Ermine's Escape
by CamoAsh
Summary: Ermine isn't like all the other haughty IceWings. She wants to have a life of adventure. But when two MudWings stumble across her path, she meets a MudWing hybrid that seems to hate her...and her new crush rescues her in the nick of time. {One-shot, possibly more chapters in future}
1. Not A Typical IceWing

_**Here's a new thing… I have no idea if this will turn out to be a full story or just a one-shot, depends how you like it!**_

The cold breeze made Ermine's eyes water slightly, but the wind didn't bother her. She had lived in the Ice Kingdom for 7 years, shifting between the fourth, third and second circle, but had been in the third circle when she had left. Her family tried to convince her to stay, but she had her mind made up. Ermine wasn't made for politics and rankings and strict rules, she wanted to be _free._ She wanted to travel the world and see what a SkyWing looked like up close, to encounter a scavenger, to go wherever she pleased withought being constantly on the watch for higher ranked dragons in case she had to bow to them as they strutted past.

_I wouldn't be much of a loss to anyone_, Ermine thought as she breathed in the leafy forest scent. The war had been over for 3 years now and she believed it was quite safe to travel anywhere. The sun shimmered off her pale sky blue scales and lavender purple underbelly, making her seem as if she were a wild bluebell. Her perch atop the large boulder was a perfect spot to catch the warm sun, wish was a new thing for her. It had always been windy and icy in her kingdom.

The river infront of her shimmered and flowed towards the south- she was close to the Diamond Spray Delta, where she wanted to explore to try to meet a MudWing.

A loud _crash!_ And the cracking of branches in the forest behind her broke her peace, and she whirled around on the rock to see what was making all the noise.

Behind her, stuck in an awkward angle and tangled in green vines, was a small MudWing dragonet. As soon as they made eye contact, he grinned stupidly at her, as if he had gotten caught doing something bad and tried to be innocent. Another, slightly bigger and darker MudWing came out of the undergrowth behind him and tried to untangle him, clearly not noticing the glitter IceWing perched on the rock a few feet away from them.

"I _told_ you not to play in the trees,' the older MudWing said, trying to break the vines that entangled his friend. The other, who was stuck in the vines, tried to tell him that there was a stern looking IceWing watching them.

"Uhh.." he started to mumble, but the other cut over him.

"No. No excuses. You _disobeyed_ me and look where it got you. I shouldn't even be helping you. You have been trained to _fly_ through the trees, not _fall_ through them."

"Uhh..sir..there's-"

"We obviously need to train you more before we let you out to do missions by yourself. If Captain Shadow had seen this, you would be instantly dismissed! You're going to-"

"Ahem." Ermine stoutly announced from her rock. She had her tail tucked over her front talons and she gazed down at them with disdain. The older MudWing instantly stopped what he was doing and turned around to face her.

"IceWing." He growled. His companion was still tangled in the vines, and remained there, for the unfamiliar MudWing walked slowly towards her.

"What's a lone IceWing doing out here, all alone, away from the Ice Kingdom? I thought you all stayed tucked away in your freezing igloo's." he stared at her with a frown.

"First of all, we do not live in _igloos._ We reside in ice caves and palaces. Second, thank you _so much_ for your manners, stranger. I am Ermine. And you are…?" she trailed off to let him answer.

He gaped at her for a few seconds, before shaking his head and righting himself in a mannerous way.

"Forgive me, uh, _Ermine._ I am Lieutenant Ochre. And my _dimwit_ subordinate in the vines over there is Private Marsh."

Marsh grinned at her again, but this time he had a pleading look in his eyes, like he was saying _please get me out of these vines before my superior leaves me here to untangle myself._

"A pleasure to meet you both." Ermine gently smiled at Marsh, but her face went back to normal as she faced Lieutenant Ochre.

"As for what I'm doing out here, I am traveling. Adventuring, even. Unlike other IceWings, I want to see the world as it is and not read about it in scrolls. What about you two? Why are you so far from the swamps? I thought MudWings sulked in the mangroves all the time." She added a bit of Ochre's rude flare in there, just to be annoying.

Marsh started to speak. "We were goi-"

"Silence, Private! She asked _me_, not _you._ Now, we were-"

"Actually, it was an open question. But I would like to hear from Marsh, if that's okay."

The lieutenant frowned, but glanced at Private Marsh for him to continue.

"Uhh...well…we're out here to do a bit of training, for me, and uh.. I was told to climb to the treetops and survey the area around me, but a branch broke beneath me and I fell. That's how I got all…tangled…and…stuff."

Ermine and the lieutenant stared at him for a few seconds, before she asked,

"So…where's the rest of your team?"

The lieutanant's jaw dropped slightly, but he then spoke,

"We reside in the marshes, we're just a small team part of a much bigger force, but we are on the outer watch. Why?"

"I'd like to come with you, if that's okay."

_**That's the first chapter done! Should I do more? What do you guys think? Please review and tell me what you think!**_

_**~Stay Fierce!**_


	2. A Shadow In The Midst

_**I decided to do another chapter; I'll see where it goes!**_

Ermine followed behind Lieutenant Ochre, with Private Marsh following behind. They waded through the chest-high mud -well, at least Marsh and Ochre did. Ermine climbed over branches that hovered just over the thick mud- not wanting to get her alluring light blue scales muddy. It was growing dusky, with the sky going grey, but the undergrowth of the mangroves was much darker- for the trees and vines stole the light that tried to get under the small canopy.

For about an hour they walked, with Lieutenant Ochre not saying a word, but after a bit, Marsh started to ask her questions- which she didn't like at all.

"So, Ermine." Marsh said as he waded through the mud, evidently not troubled by the fact that his scales were caked with dirt and _filth_. Ermine didn't answer, she didn't want to talk. She wanted to meet this whole squad of a MudWing force, not chat to a clingy recruit that was scarcely older than a dragonet.

"Why did you come to the Mud Kingdom first?" Marsh enquired. "Why not explore the Kingdom of Sand, or the jungle?"

Ermine kept her head up and didn't look at him as she responded.

"I flew through the Kingdom of Sand. It was awfully boring and hot. You'd think there would be something else other than sand. But no. for miles all you can see is _sand._ And I am never going to set foot in the jungle. Bugs, mud and poisonous fruits are _not_ for me." Ermine kept clambering over the branches just above the mud, and stole a glance at Marsh.

"Ah.." he said. "Okay then…"

A little while later, small orange lanterns came into view through the trees, as well as a blazing campfire, illuminating the shadows and adding a creepy length to them.

As soon as Ermine spotted the fire, she stopped.

_What is that? _Ermine pondered. She turned her head a little and stared at the bright orange and red flames.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" Marsh asked from behind her. They were out of the mud now, the mud turning into damp grass and weeds.

"What…is that?" she stammered, staring at the fire, mesmerised.

"What's what?" Lieutenant Ochre glanced at her as she came up beside him.

As soon as they stepped into the clearing though, heaps of MudWing heads turned towards them, all staring at the glittering IceWing who stood in the shadows. The MudWing closest to them was very thin, and was a light tan. Three scars were slashed across her snout. She was near the whatever was making all the bright orange and red light, giving her a dark silhouette, but looked hostile as the stranger came into their camp.

"Here's the welcoming committee." Lieutenant Ochre muttered as the tan MudWing pranced over to them. Her green eyes took a glance to Ermine, then to Ochre.

"Ochre. What's this you've brought to camp? You _know_ we don't allow _outsiders._ What _would_ Captain Shadow think?" she sniped. Her manner obviously showed that she was a higher ranked soldier, but she didn't have to be so rude upon greeting, especially when there was a guest nearby.

Lieutenant Ochre was silent for a moment. "During our training, we came upon this lone IceWing. She insisted that she come with us and see the camp. She's a traveller, not your typical IceWing. Please welcome her as a guest. " Ochre gazed hopefully into the tan MudWing's eyes. She glared back, before Ochre remembered,

"Her name is-"

"I don't care. She can't stay here. And I obviously saw that she was not a typical IceWing from the fact that she's not tucked away in the Ice Kingdom." She sneered. Ochre's eyes instantly lost their small glimmer, and he averted her stern glare. "And Captain Shadow might not _want_ her as a guest. You're going to be in _so_ much-"

"Excuse me, but I haven't even had the chance to introduce myself to anyone here yet," Ermine struck. "And my name, in which case you didn't care for, is Ermine." She was going to say more to the sneering MudWing, but she cut her off before she could speak.

"Watch your tongue, IceWing! You're speaking directly to a Lieutenant, and you-"

"Sorry, dear." Ermine cut off. "But you're not _my_ Lieutenant. Therefore, I can't take orders from you. So sorry to burst your impeccably _arrogant_ bubble, but I'm a rogue. I don't take orders from _anyone_." She held her head proud, and glared equally at the MudWing, who looked furious. She could see from behind the MudWing that everyone around the fire was staring at them.

"You," she hissed, "cannot stay here. I will-"

"Actually," a rough voice growled from the darkness from the other side of the fire. Every head turned towards the voice, including the snappy Lieutenant. "I'd like her to stay here for a bit. I've always wanted to see how rogues fight. And _you_, Acacia, should be much more polite to guests. After all, it was you yourself said that we should have exchange soldiers from different tribes."

As the rough-voiced dragon stepped away from whatever the strange, warm light was called, his figure became visible, even in the dark.

"Of course, Captain. I should have been more polite." Lieutenant Acacia bowed her head and looked at the ground, completely avoiding the new dragon's eyes.

The figure ignored Acacia, and cocked his head at Ermine curiously.

"Welcome…Ermine? You said your name was?" he paused, but continued as Ermine nodded. "Well, so sorry for the rude welcome, but I'm very glad you're finally here. My name, is Captain Shadow."

_**Another chapter done! How do you like the characters so far? Also, I realise I gave Marsh almost no dialogue when meeting Acacia, sorry about that.**_

_**Please review if you think there's anything I should improve on, or if there's anything you like.**_

_**~Stay Fierce! **_


	3. Not What I Hoped For

_**I'm almost out of ideas :P**_

_Finally here?_ Ermine thought suspiciously. _What does he mean? How did he know I was coming? I he an animus?_

"You must be tired" Captain Shadow interrupted her thoughts. The strange bright orange and red light made his large form even more intimidating, as she couldn't see his face in the dark, only his rough, but gentle, voice.

"Oh," Ermine started. "Actually I'm-"

"Come." He interrupted. This came as very surprising to Ermine, as it was quite rude to interrupt someone in the Ice Kingdom. She had never even see the queen interrupt one of her subjects.

"I'll show you where you can rest, and can be welcomed to the Mud Kingdom like a real guest." Captain Shadow turned and strolled past the strange, warm light. Ermine followed him, walking past the prying eyes of all the other MudWing's still staring at the glittery stranger in their camp.

The Captain led her through the twilight darkness, onto a roughly made dirt path. The orange lanterns in the trees glowed like fireflies in the swamps, giving a warm glow to their scales as they walked through the trees. He led Ermine to a series of leathery tents, and at once she hoped she didn't have to sleep in one of them. The tents grew sparser as they walked, until they came across a stone hut. It looked like a stone igloo, with flagstones stuck together with mud.

"Most of our MudWing soldiers sleep in groups in the tents," Captain Shadow explained, gesturing one wing to the tents behind them. "Officers like myself sleep in singular tents, like myself and the two Lieutenants. But guests get the best stay." He nodded his head to the stone hut, which looked quite sturdy now that she was closer. She could see that a little bit away from this one was another stone hut. They must make them randomly around the Mud Kingdom.

"It's not as fancy as what you might be used to, but around these parts it's the best you can get." Captain Shadow grinned at her in the dark, her night vision allowing her to see his faintly white teeth.

"Thank you for your kind gesture." Ermine bowed her head slightly. "What time do the troops wake up, if I may ask?"

"The troops wake up at daybreak. But I and the Lieutenants wake up just before dawn, as the stars begin to disappear. You may wake up anytime of course, and if you like you can see the troops begin their daily training." He grinned again. There was something about him that Ermine couldn't quite fathom. But she dismissed the thought.

"I appreciate your kind offer. Goodnight, Captain."

"Goodnight, Ermine." There was an awkward moment between them as Ermine turned and ducked into the stone hut, but shy could still feel the Captain's eyes watching her…she shook of the intrusive thought and focused on the interior of the hut.

It was bigger than she expected. There was room for her to turn around comfortably, withought hitting her wings on the stony wall. It wasn't what she expected, but then again, she _had_ hoped that she wouldn't be staying in a tent, and this is what she got. There were a few gray blankets folded neatly in the corner, and something that was like a tall column of white wax, with a little black stick coming out of it. It was sitting on a little stone shelf about halfway up the wall. Ermine sighed and lay down on the soft dirt floor. Thoughts about the day filled her head.

_How did Captain Shadow know I was coming? Why can I barely see his scales in the dark like the others? Are his scales darker than most? Why did Lieutenant Acacia act higher than Lieutenant Ochre even though they are the same rank? What is that strange, orange and red warm light that everyone else was sitting around? Why does it give off heat? Why didn't Marsh say a single word when I came to camp?_

All of these thoughts circled around in her head, until she drifted off to sleep, a gentle warm breeze coming through the entrance of the hut.

_**Next chapter will be coming soon :D**_

_**~Stay Fierce!**_


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